The Spanish multinational fishing company, Nueva Pescanova, has been planning to launch the world’s first commercial octopus farm in Gran Canaria’s port of Las Palmas. Expected to produce about 3,000 tonnes of octopus meat annually, the proposed facility is attracting widespread attention and criticism.  Much of the scientific community, as well as animal activists, have expressed opposition to the controversial plans.

As Gran Canaria ushers in the first week of Autumn, a bit of a mixed bag in terms of weather, generally warm across the island in the mid to upper 20s, and characterised by some varying levels of cloudiness and steady temperatures.

Over the next few days Gran Canaria weather is expected to be influenced by a front associated with a low-pressure system formed in northern Portugal. According to the State Meteorological Agency (AEMET), this will bring rain to the islands over the weekend. The northern areas of Gran Canaria, Tenerife, La Palma, Fuerteventura, and Lanzarote are expected to be most affected.

 
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This summer some Gran Canaria’s beaches, particularly Las Canteras in the capital and the coast of Mogán on the southwest of the island, have been affected by significant algal blooms. A team of experts from the University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, the Institute of Mathematical Sciences (Icmat), CSIC, and Digital Earth Solutions (DES) report that they have determined these blooms are likely to become more common over the years to come, due to the warming of the Atlantic Ocean in the Macaronesia region, a result of global warming.

The Mogán Town Council has finally made a statement regarding the masses of dead fish, first reported by The Canary News,  that have been washing up on the southwestern shores of Gran Canaria over recent days and weeks, saying that “Since the situation was detected, the Council has maintained direct and constant contact with the General Directorate of Public Health of the Government of the Canary Islands.”

The weather outlook for the coming days on Gran Canaria suggests a predominance of cloud cover to the north, with light showers likely in the capital Las Palmas de Gran Canaria.  The touristed beaches of south of the island will likely escape any wet weather, though there is always a chance at this time of year. The coastal waters around The Canary Islands have been unusually warm this year, which seems to have led to a few surprises for swimmers…

This Saturday at approximately 16:52, an emergency near a hotel pool in the Tauro area of Mogán, Gran Canaria was reported involving a male individual who was experiencing a cardiac and respiratory arrest.

 
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